Shoe-counter-softening machine



J. E; McELWE E AND E. J. O'NEILL.

SHOE COUNTER SOFTENING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 23, 1919.

1,331,656. I Patented Feb. 24,1920.

7 v WIINESS: INVENTORS.

omrED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES E. MCELWEE AND EDWARD J. ONEIZL, or sYRAcUsE', New Yoitx.

SHOE-COUNTER-SOFTENING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb.-24, 1920.

Application filed August 23, 1919. Serial No. 319,426.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES E. MCELWEE and EDWARD J. ONEILL, citizens ofthe UnitedStates, residing at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga andState of New York, have invented a certain new and usefulShoeCounter-Softening Machine, of which the following is a.specification.

Our invention has for its object a 'particularly simple and highlyefficient shoe counter softening machine, by means of whichthe counterof a new shoe may be securely held and softened without danger ofbreaking the counter awa from the heel of the shoe, and the inventionconsists in the novel features and constructions hereinafter set forthand claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanyingdrawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in allthe views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of our shoe counter softening machine, aportion of a shoe being shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of parts shown in Fig. 1. i

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, the parts being shown in theiroperative position as when a counter isbeing bentf Fig. l is an enlargedsectional view of parts shown in Fig. 3.

Our invention comprises generally, a support for} the heeLportion of ashoe having a die-member closely fitting'the insideof the counter nearthe heel thereof, a d1e-mem-' port for gripping the counter of the shoeon each side of the portion to be bent and means for moving said membertoward and from the support.

In the drawing, 1 is the main frame or support, provided with ears 2 'bymeans of which said support is fixed to the edge of a counter or bench 3by screws or bolts t. with a portion 5 thereof overhanging the edge ofsaid counter or bench 3. 6 is a die-member removably mounted on theextreme end of the overhanging portion 5 of the frame 1 by means of apin 7 extending through the portion 5 and into the part 6.

The die-member 6. is provided with a flat face 8 which is flush with theextreme end 9 of the portion 5 of the frame 1 and as the inside of thecounter of a shoe, and is beveled from said edge '10 as shown at 11 downto the portion 5.

12 isthe softening head or upper diemember which is here'shown asmounted upon the reduced end 13-of a spindle '14, above the die-member6, and is movable toward and from said part6 as will be hereinafterdescribed. The softening head is provided with a beveled face 15 whichcoacts with the face 11 of the die-member 6. The spindle 1% is mountedin a bearing '16 provided on an arm 17 of the'frame 1 overhanging theportion 5 of the frame and extending above the die-member 6, and saidspindle is provided with teeth 18 forming a rack thereon.

A gear 19 meshing with the teeth 18, is mounted in the arm 17 and isoperated by a lever20 to move the die-member toward and away from thedie-member '6.

Means is provided for gripping the counter of the shoe on both sidesof'the' part of the counter to be bent or softened, and as here shownthis means consists of a part 21 slidably mounted upon the spindle 14:above the upper die-member 12 and is provided.

ber 12 for coacting with the curved surfaces 10 of the dieanember 6 toclamp the counter of the shoe and hold the shoe in place upon itssupport.

The holding part 21 is'provided with a collar 23 havin arecess'24therein into which the spindle 14 extends and a coiled springis interposed between the shoulder 25 formed by the reduced end portion13 of the spindle and the bottom of the recess 2-L and normally holdsthe part 21 against the member 12.

In operation, a shoe is placed upon the die-memoer (l of the supportwith the inside of the heel thereof resting on the flat surface 8 andthe lower part of the counter near the heel of the shoe resting upon thecurved surface 10 as illustrated in dotted lines, Fig. 1. The hand lever20 is then operated to bring the side pieces against the counter of theshoe and owing to the flat surface 8 and the beveled surface 11 of thedie-member 6, when the shoe is in its proper position on the die member,the side pieces 22 hold more show-n said face 8 extends upwardly thepart of the counter near the heel of the shoe against the curvedsurfaces 10 of the die member with the upper part of the counter spacedapart from the beveled surface 11 of the member 6. Further moverisin asu Jort for a shoe. and a diemember for bending a portion of the counterof said shoe inwardly and at an angle to the sole thereof, substantiallyas and for the purpose described.

2. A shoe counter softening machine comprising a support for the counterof a shoe near the heel thereof, and a die-member supported thereby forbending the outer portion of the counter thereof inwardly and at anangle to the sole of said shoe, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

3. A shoe counter softening machine comprising a support for the shoehaving a diemember closely fitting the inside ofthe counter of saidshoe. near the heel thereof and spaced apart from the upper part of saidcounter, and a die-member for bending the upper part of said counterinwardly toward the sole, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

4. A shoe counter softening machine comprising a die-member forsupporting the shoe, and a die-member for bending the upper portion ofthe counter thereof inwardly and at an angle to the sole of said shoeand arms, movable with the last mentioned diemember, and coacting withthe first mentioned die-member for clamping the part of the counter nearthe heel of the shoe and holding the same from displacement,

substantially asand for the purpose described.

5. "A shoe counter softening machine comprising a support forthe shoehaving a part closely fitting the inside of the counter of said shoenear the heel thereof, means for bending a portion of said counterinwardly toward the sole of the shoe, and means coacting with thesupport for gripping the counter on each side-of the portion] to bebent, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. A shoe counter softening machine comprising a die-member for the heelportion of a shoe having a part closely fitting the inside of thecounter, near the heel thereof, a die-member movably supported above thefirst-mentioned die-member for bending a portion of the counter of theshoe inwardly toward the sole thereof, arms coacting with the firstmentioned die-member for holding the lower part of the counter on eachside of the portion to be softened and mechanism for moving said onedie-member toward and from the other die-member, substantially as forthe purpose set forth.

. 7. A shoe counter softening machine comprising a support for the heelportion of a shoe having a part closely fitting the inside of thecounter near the heel thereof, a member movably supported above theheelsupport for bending a portion of the counter of the shoe inwardly towardthe sole thereof, spring tensioned means movable with said member andcoacting with the support for gripping the counter on each side of theportion to be. bent, and means for moving the said member towardand'fro'm the support, substantially and for the purpose described. Y

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto signed our names atv Syracuse, inthe county of Onondaga and State of New York, this 21st day of August,1919.

